ANALYSIS / MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKERS For the best results, JLA’s Lee cites a fee of
US$16,000 as a very ‘reasonable’ budget and says while speakers could be hired for upwards of US$800, these were few and far between, probably not full-time on the speaking circuit and potentially not of the best quality. “In our view, clients often want to overspend and this is not necessary in an environment where you are not selling tickets,” he advises. The priority, stressed by all professionals, is to get the right person for the job. “The trend now is to book people who
have been there and done it, rather than just pontificating about it, or writing (motivational) books,” adds Lee. “While we are always look- ing for credible female speakers, for instance, we would not suggest a speaker as a token, but would always recommend someone who ticks every box on the wish list.” Certainly, what nearly all professional speakers deliver with panache is a stage performance, often in contrast to the more stolid corporate presenta- tions that make up the bulk of the event. Twin the entertainment element with rel-
evant content and you have a winner, according to US business speaker, technology expert and futurist, Scott Steinberg. “We are not there to spout platitudes,” he says. “A truly effective pres- entation is customised to the client and the only way to deliver effective messages is to under- stand the culture of the company and who the key stakeholders are. “In a corporate setting, the most effective
speakers are those experts in business scenarios who can give audiences a practical look at tack- ling issues.” Ideally, he says, the speaker should visit the company prior to the event, survey managers and employees, work the conference and participate in order that new perspectives and actionable advice can be inserted in to the on-stage presentation.
AUDIENCE ON FIRE…
A motivational speaker comes in as a catalyst of change, to unlock potential and, in a short space of time, encourage a different prospective, even if it means using techniques such as dramatic as fire-walking, according to Carol Talbot. “Recently, I was working with a 100-plus management team over a two-day conference. The company’s targets for the year ahead were shared with the delegates and they were given the challenge to identify solutions to achieve the revenue goal. “The room immediately filled with an air of negativity as the team ‘pushed back’ in a collective unease at the thought of taking what they seemed to perceive as a responsibility that was not theirs. “As a solution, I opted to encourage the team members to each walk across coals, heated to 1700 degrees Fahrenheit – and within three hours, everyone had walked the coals.
“Everyone was highly energised. The collective mind-set had shifted. The general consensus in the room was one of ‘collaborative appreciation coupled with anything is possible’. Indeed, the revenue goals were embraced and there followed an outpouring of relevant, realistic solutions.”
SETTING THE
Carol Talbot To drive home the content of the conference,
president of Executive Oasis, Anne Thornley- Brown, similarly recommends a full research exercise on the part of the speaker. “If someone is speaking about his or her experience in scal- ing Mount Fuji, for instance, that experience is not directly relevant to the day-to-day chal- lenges faced by the company. Yes, participants might leave pumped up and feeling good, but the likelihood that they will be able to apply what they have learned is low,” she says. As a specialist in team building and executive
retreats, Thornley-Brown suggests the speaker spend time with the client company to under- stand the day-to-day realities the audience faces. “The speaker could then share the story of their expedition and identify key learnings and strate- gies gleaned from the experience, while pinpoint- ing how participants could apply each specific strategy in their real world of work.” From the speaker perspective, a priority req-
uirement for delivery of the right message is a comprehensive brief from the client, something not always forthcoming, says Carol Talbot. “Often the idea to have a motivational
Twin the entertainment element with relevant content and you have a winner _ Scott Steinberg , US business speaker
Scott Steinberg Susan Furness
speaker is last minute, when the meeting or con- ference agenda is complete and there is a gap,” she says. “Good motivational speakers will request a thorough brief from their clients to enable them to tailor their presentation to meet the clients’ objectives, connect at the audience level, under- stand the corporate culture and language and incorporate key messages that the client would like to get across.” In the real world, however, Talbot says
arrangements do not always work to brief, cit- ing an occasion when after several meetings with the client and a thorough brief, the stage was set for a 60-minute motivational session for 100-plus delegates. “Delegates arrived at 12.30pm for this lunchtime meeting and I was informed that the managing director would speak for probably less than 15 minutes. Two and half hours later, he was still speaking and by that time the main motiva- tion for the group was the idea of lunch,” she says, emphasising the lesson that flexibility is an absolute ‘must have’ for any speaker.
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